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Saturday, August 22, 2009 (21:44:57) |
| Tags : Goa, Swine Flu, Death |
First suspected swine flu death in Goa |
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| Panaji: The Goa government is unsure about invoking the Epidemic Act to check the spread of swine flu, Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane said today, hours after authorities admitted that a 67-year-old man could have died of suspected influenza A (H1N1). If confirmed, this would be the first swine flu death in the state.
The victim, however, belonged to Bangalore and not to Goa.
"I don't want to take recourse to the Epidemic (Control) Act 1897, but I think I may have to invoke it," Rane said on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, the most popular Hindu festival in the state.
"We don't want people to panic. We also don't want wrong tourism advisories."
According to official figures, there are presently 14 people in the state who have tested positive for swine flu.
"We still have not received lab reports for 61 throat swabs which we had sent to the central laboratories in Pune and Delhi," Rane said, acknowledging the delay in receiving test reports. The victim's test results have not yet been received.
The health minister said that while the delay in receiving test reports could prove fatal to a swine flu patient, those with obvious symptoms of influenza A (H1N1) would henceforth be immediately put on Tamiflu.
"We are preparing a roadmap for swine flu control which will be ready by next month. We are also meeting well known private sector health professionals and institutions to carve out a combined course to handle the issue," he said, adding that by pooling in resources from the private sector, nearly 100 beds would created exclusively to treat patients suffering from the influenza.
Rane appealed to the people to immediately report to the health authorities in case anyone had visible H1N1 symptoms.
Six more swine flu deaths were reported in India today, taking the death toll due to the H1N1 virus to 54, the health ministry said in New Delhi today. (IANS) |
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